Cook early colonist, postmaster on Cook’s Island

   James Cook, a partner with William B. DeWees as one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred families, was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1797 and was probably in Texas by 1820.   On August 3, 1824, he and DeWees received title to a sitio of land now in Colorado County.

Haller once represented county in legislature

    Nathan H. Haller, who represented Brazoria and Matagorda counties in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth legislatures, was born in slavery in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 8, 1845. His owner took him to Walker County, Texas, probably before 1860.

Peninsula’s army airfield still functions as airport today

   The Matagorda Peninsula Army airfield was built during 1942 by the Army Air Corps, primarily to support the Matagorda Bombing Range on Matagorda Island to the south.   In addition, it was also developed as a training school by Army Air Forces Training Command.

A look at Palacios Depression-era letters to Santa

Palacios Beacon, December 18, 1930Letters to Santa ClausEast Bay School – December 16, 1930  Dear Santa Claus:   I know thirty-two little boys and girls who all want you to come and see them Christmas.  Santa, they want me to tell you how good they have been.

Matagorda Historical Society’s dual museum ribbon cuttings

‘School House’ in the middle of the prairie

   During the year 1912, Common School District No. 12 was established between the Tres Palacios River and Cash’s Creek.   The two-room schoolhouse was first situated in the Dunbar community by the river and near the church and store.   It was called “The School House.”    A.L.

Palacios Point once hosted town of Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTHBy Mary L. Griffin  About 1902 Burton D. Hurd laid out another town on the Palacios Point site.    He named this town Portsmouth, and the area is still called by that name.

Williams among Bay Prairie men who died at Goliad

   Napoleon Bonaparte Williams, soldier in the Texas Revolution, was born in 1809 to George F. and Lavinia (Hobbs) Williams.   The family moved to Texas from Connecticut.   George Williams, as a member of the Old Three Hundred, received a grant of a sitio of land on Tres Palacios Creek.

Matagorda’s count, countess; A tragic tale

   Picking up from last week’s history page story on the Countess and Count of Matagorda...est daughter of the Genitises.